A typical airbag system protects an automobile passenger in the case of a collision. The system airbag consists of a flexible fabric envelope, normally stored in a deflated condition that inflates quickly responsive to a collision to cushion passengers during a collision. An automobile may have many airbags disposed in the inner cabin of the automobile, which airbags, in combination, may inflate dependent upon the severity and location of the collision. Airbags have clearly significantly reduced death and injury rates resulting from automobile collisions.
Unfortunately, passengers of non-standard size, e.g. very tall, very small, children and disabled people, have been largely excluded from many of the benefits of airbags because of their unusual sizes. This is particularly a shortcoming with children who are substantially excluded from the safety benefits of airbags until they reach the age of 8 to 9 years old.